What do you think?
Rate this book
The Corps #7
Behind The Lines
Behind the Lines is W. E. B. Griffin's powerful novel of World War II -- and the courage, patriotism, and sacrifice of those who fought it.By 1942, the Japanese have routed the outnumbered American forces and conquered the Philippines. But deep in the island jungles, the combat continues. Refusing to surrender, a renegade Army officer organizes a resistance force and vows to fight to the last man. A Marine leads his team on a mission through the heart of enemy territory. And the nation's proudest sons fight uncelebrated battles that will win -- or lose -- the war . . .
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 1996
496 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
About the author
W.E.B. Griffin
351 books1,288 followersW.E.B. Griffin was one of several pseudonyms for William E. Butterworth III.
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 10, 2022
I really like this series. I think the gritty detail that Griffin gets into with planning and infighting between the services and what should be mind-numbing bureaucracy but is actually quite fascinating looks into how our military operates makes this series intensely exciting and highly realistic.
This book is my favorite since the opening novel, Semper Fi. It takes the readers back to the Philippines as the Japanese conquers it and focuses upon a small handful of American marines and soldiers who decide they were going to violate their orders and refuse to surrender. It then focuses upon their successful efforts to set up a guerilla operation in the Philippines and their struggle to get the U.S. to support their efforts. Getting that help is complicated by politics—Douglas MacArthur has declared that guerilla operations in the Philippines are impossible, so naturally there can be none there to support.
Enter our band of heroes in a small intelligence office in the Marine Corps who decide to make contact with the guerillas anyway. Throw in “Wild Bill” Donovan and the young OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and his driving need to control all intelligence services run by the U.S. and you have plenty of room for infighting as political needs get in the way of the practical reason for launching the mission.
Griffin gives plenty of action in this novel, but once again, it’s the preparation, the infighting, the rivalries, and the human factor that makes this novel so enjoyable.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
This book is my favorite since the opening novel, Semper Fi. It takes the readers back to the Philippines as the Japanese conquers it and focuses upon a small handful of American marines and soldiers who decide they were going to violate their orders and refuse to surrender. It then focuses upon their successful efforts to set up a guerilla operation in the Philippines and their struggle to get the U.S. to support their efforts. Getting that help is complicated by politics—Douglas MacArthur has declared that guerilla operations in the Philippines are impossible, so naturally there can be none there to support.
Enter our band of heroes in a small intelligence office in the Marine Corps who decide to make contact with the guerillas anyway. Throw in “Wild Bill” Donovan and the young OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and his driving need to control all intelligence services run by the U.S. and you have plenty of room for infighting as political needs get in the way of the practical reason for launching the mission.
Griffin gives plenty of action in this novel, but once again, it’s the preparation, the infighting, the rivalries, and the human factor that makes this novel so enjoyable.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
September 5, 2019
I could simply reprise my previous review of book six. There is one caveat however. This is a fine novel based on the Wendell Fertig guerrilla group in the Philippines during WWII. By only mentioning Fertig's effort it seems to imply that there were no others, but this is far from the case. If you want to investigate there are a lot of very good non-fiction books on the subject, including American Guerrilla in the Philippines. Can't remember the author's name on that one, as I read it in about 1949. Other good ones are We Remained by Russell Volkmann and Blackburn's Headhunters by Don Blackburn. There are others.
July 27, 2011
This is book #7 in Griffin's series about the U S Marine Corps.
He tells the contining stories of different characters throughout the series; therefore, if read in order, which I have done, they make a lot more sense.
Still, if necessary the book could stand alone. Griffin does military fiction quite well and I enjoy his style. Since this focuses "behind the lines" there are no huge ptiched battles. Instead it cosues on guerilla operations in the Philippines after MacArthur left.
Grffin also touches on how political infighting affected certain actions in this war (no doubt politics--alas--plays a part in all wars).
Entertaining adventure, though not the strongest book in the series. Still a good read if you like military fiction; lots of interesting characters old and new.
Note: should you happen to find several books in the series, just start with book 1 if you can to see if you like Griffin's style. Reading in order will add immensley to your enjoyment.
He tells the contining stories of different characters throughout the series; therefore, if read in order, which I have done, they make a lot more sense.
Still, if necessary the book could stand alone. Griffin does military fiction quite well and I enjoy his style. Since this focuses "behind the lines" there are no huge ptiched battles. Instead it cosues on guerilla operations in the Philippines after MacArthur left.
Grffin also touches on how political infighting affected certain actions in this war (no doubt politics--alas--plays a part in all wars).
Entertaining adventure, though not the strongest book in the series. Still a good read if you like military fiction; lots of interesting characters old and new.
Note: should you happen to find several books in the series, just start with book 1 if you can to see if you like Griffin's style. Reading in order will add immensley to your enjoyment.
November 25, 2020
This book travels back in time to just before Fortress Corregidor and the rest of the Philippines fell to the Japanese. We follow an officer and a sergeant as they desert with the intention of making it to Australia or joining up with others who refused to surrender and fought bravely on behind enemy lines.
We then jump forward but not fully. Lots of backstory, we're reading the exact same military communications from the previous book but once that settles down and we catch up with the timeline McCoy is taking a clandestine trip to evaluate the forces of General Fertig taking along several known characters, including the worm Macklin. There's talk and filler but some seriously harrowing combat and adventure. Pretty good, three and a half stars.
We then jump forward but not fully. Lots of backstory, we're reading the exact same military communications from the previous book but once that settles down and we catch up with the timeline McCoy is taking a clandestine trip to evaluate the forces of General Fertig taking along several known characters, including the worm Macklin. There's talk and filler but some seriously harrowing combat and adventure. Pretty good, three and a half stars.
March 9, 2023
Love the series as we follow members of the military ante WWII, now up through the decision to actively pursue a guerilla war with the Wendell Fertig guerrilla group in the Philippines in "Behind the Lines"...infighting between the services and all the mind-numbing bureaucratic nonsense is on full display...I'm fully hooked on this series!!!
Read
August 19, 2019Welcome to this maelstrom of internecine scheming, status-seeking, gossip, genuflecting to rank, and incestuous rivalry with a thick dollop of military protocol. Characters discuss their own careers, hopes for advancement, petty resentments and the minutiae of daily functioning in the Marine Corps. Clinical dysfunction and emotional paralysis seem to grip the principal characters. The reader may well see a parallel between the lives of these men of war and the classic, textbook dysfunctional family modeled on the alcoholic family. In this paradigm, the father (an alcoholic, a ranking officer, and politician) is an unpredictable person with the power to make or break the members of his family (regiment, unit, and patrol). The mother (co-alcoholic, and symbolic of most of the women in this book) is both victim and enabler who unwittingly perpetuates the disease of the alcoholic. The children (lower-ranked officers and recruits) fear and worship the father at the same time (ambivalence), which is a form of neurosis that renders them emotional zombies disconnected from their own feelings.
The book details the comings and goings of upper-rank Marine officers in the Philippines in the early days of World War II after the Japanese have overrun the islands and American fighting forces, plagued by a shortage of supplies and personnel, are reduced to defensive sparring. There is plenty of rank-pulling alongside institutionalized deference for eccentricity in top brass, such as General Douglas MacArthur ("El Supremo") and even Brig. Gen. Wendell Fertig whose disdain for military life is coupled with his brilliance as a soldier. Fertig organizes a roan campaign of counter-attack deep in the tropical jungles that is not officially sanctioned and that raises many thorny questions about leadership and protocol. As a sort of protegée of the unpredictable General MacArthur, Fertig is a guerrilla fighter who commands his own militia and survives by his wits while ignoring military bureaucracy and field manuals. In this regard, MacArthur secretly admires Fertig, although he is irritated by his unconventional methods that hold up a mirror to his own style of fighting.
The thick layers of protocol and rank that suffuse the action in this book can make the prose nearly impenetrable to all but the most hardened career Marine Corps soldier. Perhaps this is nothing more than the author focusing on his "target audience" to the detriment of the general reader who may feel alienated from both character and plot as frustrations mount with the seemingly endless recitation of rank, privilege, paranoia and misplaced pride that hold the book together.
The book details the comings and goings of upper-rank Marine officers in the Philippines in the early days of World War II after the Japanese have overrun the islands and American fighting forces, plagued by a shortage of supplies and personnel, are reduced to defensive sparring. There is plenty of rank-pulling alongside institutionalized deference for eccentricity in top brass, such as General Douglas MacArthur ("El Supremo") and even Brig. Gen. Wendell Fertig whose disdain for military life is coupled with his brilliance as a soldier. Fertig organizes a roan campaign of counter-attack deep in the tropical jungles that is not officially sanctioned and that raises many thorny questions about leadership and protocol. As a sort of protegée of the unpredictable General MacArthur, Fertig is a guerrilla fighter who commands his own militia and survives by his wits while ignoring military bureaucracy and field manuals. In this regard, MacArthur secretly admires Fertig, although he is irritated by his unconventional methods that hold up a mirror to his own style of fighting.
The thick layers of protocol and rank that suffuse the action in this book can make the prose nearly impenetrable to all but the most hardened career Marine Corps soldier. Perhaps this is nothing more than the author focusing on his "target audience" to the detriment of the general reader who may feel alienated from both character and plot as frustrations mount with the seemingly endless recitation of rank, privilege, paranoia and misplaced pride that hold the book together.
December 3, 2014
My introduction to W.E.B. Griffin's fiction was a few volumes from the Brotherhood of War series. I read The Captains,The Majors, and The Colonels from that series before giving up on it. I wanted to read some war novels, and wasn't sure beyond a reasonable doubt until after reading three installments that Griffin wasn't really trying to write war novels. He is more interested in the back room/office politics of military brass--some of which takes place when the country happens to be at war. Those three books, to me, read like novelized versions of a few seasons' dose of Army Wives--albeit with a FAR greater degree of accuracy in military details.
Behind the Lines was my introduction to his "The Corps" series, my favorite of his military novels, and a pretty good read. WWII is still the period of history that fascinates me most, and American guerrilla action in the Philippines is a subject I haven't read much about, so those were points in the book's favor. But I think what made it a winner for me were the characters. I related to Fertig, McCoy and Weston, and wanted them to prevail.
My complaints about this book are similar to those I have against other Griffin tomes: office politics are interesting up to a point, but he really emphasizes them at the expense of plot and action. The word-for-word (simulated) top-secret memos did become old after about six of them. Characters who jump from enlisted ranks--or even civilian life--into O-3 to O-5 commissions are extremely over-represented, while officers like Macklin are severely under-represented. There were also some plot devices, meant to up the tension probably, that just didn't strike me as worthwhile (all wrapped up in the aforementioned back-room politics). But there was enough good in this book to outweigh all of that.
Griffin may pick details to dwell on that run against my tastes, but his stories are very plausible. His main characters are three-dimensional. Macklin, for instance, probably couldn't have been drawn better. Also, I hadn't experienced Griffin getting into the minds of the opfor before, so it was nice to find that he gave just as much careful attention to depicting characters and office politics on the Japanese side as the American.
All-in-all this was a page-turner; and I cared about what was going to happen to the characters, from beginning to end.
Behind the Lines was my introduction to his "The Corps" series, my favorite of his military novels, and a pretty good read. WWII is still the period of history that fascinates me most, and American guerrilla action in the Philippines is a subject I haven't read much about, so those were points in the book's favor. But I think what made it a winner for me were the characters. I related to Fertig, McCoy and Weston, and wanted them to prevail.
My complaints about this book are similar to those I have against other Griffin tomes: office politics are interesting up to a point, but he really emphasizes them at the expense of plot and action. The word-for-word (simulated) top-secret memos did become old after about six of them. Characters who jump from enlisted ranks--or even civilian life--into O-3 to O-5 commissions are extremely over-represented, while officers like Macklin are severely under-represented. There were also some plot devices, meant to up the tension probably, that just didn't strike me as worthwhile (all wrapped up in the aforementioned back-room politics). But there was enough good in this book to outweigh all of that.
Griffin may pick details to dwell on that run against my tastes, but his stories are very plausible. His main characters are three-dimensional. Macklin, for instance, probably couldn't have been drawn better. Also, I hadn't experienced Griffin getting into the minds of the opfor before, so it was nice to find that he gave just as much careful attention to depicting characters and office politics on the Japanese side as the American.
All-in-all this was a page-turner; and I cared about what was going to happen to the characters, from beginning to end.
September 11, 2010
This series stunk! I read the entire series hoping for some kind of combat action, but was disappointed time after time. The main character seemed to miss every major action of WWII...the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the invasion of the Philippines, etc. I would not recommend this series to anyone I liked!
October 8, 2014
Book seven of the Corps series. An American Army reserve officer sets up a guerrilla operation on Mindanao. The usual cast of the series [ McCoy, Sergeant Koefler, MacArthur, and Captain Macklin ] appear. The book captures the fighting spirit of the Marines.
June 15, 2014
too long
January 20, 2016
Loved it
September 22, 2022
I always appreciate Griffin's take on historical fiction. Some authors force the historical facts and the fictional characters come a distance second in the story. Griffin bases this story around the Wendell Fertig guerrilla group in the Philippines -- one of many such guerrilla groups during that time. Nothing against Fertig, but he comes off as a very light version of Marlon Brando's character in "Apocalypse Now" in that Fertig (a colonel) names himself Brigadier General so he will be taken seriously by both the men under him and by the U.S. leaders in Australia, Pearl Harbor and Washington. He also improves the ranks of many of his men for the same reason. That, and some of decisions and conversations he has, makes him come off as a little nutty. But the reason for the group (and others like it) is that McArthur said that guerrilla groups wouldn't work in the Philippines, and these groups proved him wrong. Of course, McArthur took credit for it, anyway.
The fictional characters mentioned at the beginning of this review are the bulk of the book, using the activities of WWII as a background. Some of the characters are serious, some are comical, some know when to lighten up and when to take things seriously. It's another book where there is a great blend of characters from previous books and new characters, blended into historical facts.
One such example is appearance of the OSS (later, the CIA). "Wild Bill" Donavon, the head of the OSS, has been butting heads with McArthur who doesn't recognize intelligence organizations -- his intelligence is all that matters. Griffin places his fictional characters into the division of these two men, uses Fertig's guerrilla activities, and shows McArthur's starting to accept the OSS as an important entity.
It has been a while that I (unintentionally) have read one of Griffin's books, but I thought this was fantastic for the reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph. I gave this 4.5 stars rounded up.
But WHY does his books have to be SO LONG?
The fictional characters mentioned at the beginning of this review are the bulk of the book, using the activities of WWII as a background. Some of the characters are serious, some are comical, some know when to lighten up and when to take things seriously. It's another book where there is a great blend of characters from previous books and new characters, blended into historical facts.
One such example is appearance of the OSS (later, the CIA). "Wild Bill" Donavon, the head of the OSS, has been butting heads with McArthur who doesn't recognize intelligence organizations -- his intelligence is all that matters. Griffin places his fictional characters into the division of these two men, uses Fertig's guerrilla activities, and shows McArthur's starting to accept the OSS as an important entity.
It has been a while that I (unintentionally) have read one of Griffin's books, but I thought this was fantastic for the reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph. I gave this 4.5 stars rounded up.
But WHY does his books have to be SO LONG?
March 13, 2022
As with other WEB Griffin books, outstanding research, glimpses of life behind the scene, a feeling of being connected top of
Pulls no punches on analyzing the personalities of various leaders, and though the author enjoys the well-deserved status of some aristocratic types, is also appropriately disdainful of those who fail upwards. The hard lives of many of unrecognized military volunteers is given all due respect and admiration.
Other advantages to reading Griffin include the feeling you can jump into any plot line at any time, the tease of those book series and plot lines intersecting, the look at locations most Americans never see, the banality of political fiddling in all manner of government and military institutions. How WEBG explored that many timelines and characters is amazing in itself. I'm hooked now.
In the specific case of Behind the Lines, the glimpse is of actual people and the endnote describes what happens to some of the characters. It's like a Paul Harvey rest-of-the-story story. This novel may be better characterized as historical fiction. Excellent book. I give it a 5 because it changed me; when I saw a cheap copy of Ghost Soldiers, a nonfiction account of operating behind the lines in the Philippines, into my bag it went. Yet another part of history to learn...
Pulls no punches on analyzing the personalities of various leaders, and though the author enjoys the well-deserved status of some aristocratic types, is also appropriately disdainful of those who fail upwards. The hard lives of many of unrecognized military volunteers is given all due respect and admiration.
Other advantages to reading Griffin include the feeling you can jump into any plot line at any time, the tease of those book series and plot lines intersecting, the look at locations most Americans never see, the banality of political fiddling in all manner of government and military institutions. How WEBG explored that many timelines and characters is amazing in itself. I'm hooked now.
In the specific case of Behind the Lines, the glimpse is of actual people and the endnote describes what happens to some of the characters. It's like a Paul Harvey rest-of-the-story story. This novel may be better characterized as historical fiction. Excellent book. I give it a 5 because it changed me; when I saw a cheap copy of Ghost Soldiers, a nonfiction account of operating behind the lines in the Philippines, into my bag it went. Yet another part of history to learn...
December 12, 2024
finished 12th december 2024 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner have read two other books from griffin enjoyed them, too. this one the corps #7 first of this series for me. story set in the p.i. mindanao. americans and filipinos who refused to surrender to the japs mount a resistance and are eventually provided assistance. much of the story is taken up with the head honchos some at first denying there is a resistance, guerillas in the p.i. (macarthur) and others (know,fdr, nimitz) who simply do not know enough and one (donovan) who wants his nose under the tent and some of them make decisions that they know will harm americans (and filipinos) though their image unlikely to be tarnished. entertaining story makes use of code used and presented as such on the page. scenes from the p.i., australia, new york, washinton d.c., at sea on submarine, pearl harbor...others. good read. have another two griffin stories on loan ready to go.
January 31, 2021
This would be classified historical fiction. In this particular novel Griffin inserts his fictional characters into yet another historical event.
These particular events are those surrounding Colonel Fertig, Who was a real life military officer who rather than surrendering went into the jungles and mountains to conduct drill of warfare against the Japanese.
As in most other novels by Mr Griffin, You will have a mix of older and younger officers and noncommissioned officers, there will be those who are highly respectable and those who are not to respectable. Heroes and cowards alike.
While it is perhaps not the best novel he had written, It was entertaining and provided some insight to the guerrilla warfare in the Philippines.
In his afterward, Mr Griffin mentions a friend of his who had participated in similar situations on the Philippines. He had been given inside information.
These particular events are those surrounding Colonel Fertig, Who was a real life military officer who rather than surrendering went into the jungles and mountains to conduct drill of warfare against the Japanese.
As in most other novels by Mr Griffin, You will have a mix of older and younger officers and noncommissioned officers, there will be those who are highly respectable and those who are not to respectable. Heroes and cowards alike.
While it is perhaps not the best novel he had written, It was entertaining and provided some insight to the guerrilla warfare in the Philippines.
In his afterward, Mr Griffin mentions a friend of his who had participated in similar situations on the Philippines. He had been given inside information.
November 7, 2018
BEHIND THE LINES (Book 7) is one of my favorites in “The Corps” series. As with the other books in “The Corps” series, BEHIND THE LINES has several storylines, but the primary one is about American and Filipino forces who refused to surrender to the Japanese and instead hid and conducted guerrilla warfare. I knew about the guerrilla warfare in the Philippines, but I did not know the extent or the support (or lack of support) given to these American and Filipino guerrilla forces by the US military.
W.E.B. Griffin masterfully weaves fictional characters and dialogue with actual individuals, locations, and events to present an interesting, informative and spell-bounding story.
W.E.B. Griffin masterfully weaves fictional characters and dialogue with actual individuals, locations, and events to present an interesting, informative and spell-bounding story.
September 4, 2021
Disappointing yet again
This is yet another ever gonna we be griffins Redundant Repetitive books That has very little to do with the marines Making the marines mostly supporting characters That tends to be more a story about the army special forces and the OSS For a series that is mediocre at best this is a very disappointing book I would not recommend it Though I wouldn't recommend this series even though I Reluctantly enjoy reading this train wreck Of the series This book at least did not have the typical racist misogynist information that his other books in the series I've had Only 2 more books to go I'm very disappointed in the series and especially this Book.
This is yet another ever gonna we be griffins Redundant Repetitive books That has very little to do with the marines Making the marines mostly supporting characters That tends to be more a story about the army special forces and the OSS For a series that is mediocre at best this is a very disappointing book I would not recommend it Though I wouldn't recommend this series even though I Reluctantly enjoy reading this train wreck Of the series This book at least did not have the typical racist misogynist information that his other books in the series I've had Only 2 more books to go I'm very disappointed in the series and especially this Book.
December 9, 2022
Not going to lie, but I was definitely concerned at the outset of this book that the author had radically diverged from the character demeanor is portrayed in the previous novels. However, as the book progressed, and the larger plot developments became clear, my fears were thankfully delayed. This book certainly maintains the thrilling ASCII, which marks the series as a whole. Even more so, I was excited to see the introduction of guerrilla warfare concepts into it had previously been a largely conventional warfare recounting.
March 23, 2019
Couldn’t put the book down. Fiction but with a good history lesson.I think lieutenant Kenneth McCoy needs to hurry up and tie the knot. It’s getting ridiculous with his girlfriend throwing fits and he does not want to marry. Good side show but need to move on now. Again, showing the war within the war. The war amongst ourselves in these battles. As it is still today, some people are in the right positions for the wrong reasons. Not for the better good but the prestige of their selves.
March 5, 2020
Book number seven was just as interesting as the first Brooke second third fourth and fifth sixth book I recommend the series to anybody that wants to get more in touch with WW ll excellent reading
Book number seven was just as interesting as the first Book second third fourth and fifth sixth book I recommend the series to anybody that wants to get A better understanding of World War Two.
Book number seven was just as interesting as the first Book second third fourth and fifth sixth book I recommend the series to anybody that wants to get A better understanding of World War Two.
September 20, 2024
Continuing saga of "The Corps Series Book 7"
The continuing saga of "The Corps Series" has cause me lots of sleeplessness, as I continue to read and an unable to put the pages of this book to rest. Can't wait to see what happens next as the history of WWII unfolds in this wrenching story and people involved. Hang on to your seats and pop another "NoDose" tablet and see what's in-store for us now!!
The continuing saga of "The Corps Series" has cause me lots of sleeplessness, as I continue to read and an unable to put the pages of this book to rest. Can't wait to see what happens next as the history of WWII unfolds in this wrenching story and people involved. Hang on to your seats and pop another "NoDose" tablet and see what's in-store for us now!!
July 16, 2019
Okay, these are purely recreational reading without that much merit other than entertainment, but I do keep reading them. In part I'm fascinated by the fairly accurate accounts of the bureaucratic and internal political aspects of U.S. military culture that are well illustrated and developed and resonate with my own experience as well.
December 7, 2019
The continuing saga
I’m happy with the insight to events that occurred, but some of the extended portions of following the dining and drinking seem more like filler than plot. I would have liked to hear more about the efforts at home outside the military as it affected the war effort. Otherwise entertaining and somewhat educational as to the events on the Pacific.
I’m happy with the insight to events that occurred, but some of the extended portions of following the dining and drinking seem more like filler than plot. I would have liked to hear more about the efforts at home outside the military as it affected the war effort. Otherwise entertaining and somewhat educational as to the events on the Pacific.
November 23, 2020
This is a true story converted to a novel. Unlike most World War II books, it is set in the Philippines, mostly on Mindanao, and tells about the discovery and exploits of an American Marine who has set up a guerilla group after the Japanese invaded. It is well written, exciting, and enlightening. I have read several books by this author, and have a pile more to do.
February 15, 2022
The book started with a bang then slowed down some as the new storyline was developed. As usual with Griffin's books, if you've read the early books in the series there is some repetition as he goes over the repeat characters' background, but he seems to have handled it better in this book. The conclusion was better than his norm.
November 27, 2024
This really is a terrific series and very educational. This volume in the Corps series is about Wendell Fertig and his role in the Philippines during WWII. Each of these books inspires me to study history more thoroughly and to regret not asking my grandfather more about his experiences during WWII.
November 9, 2017
This series is a great read, but you should start from the beginning as it is really just one long story. I love all the military detail. You’ll like the books if you liked John Wayne war movies. It captures an idealized culture where men are men and women are accessories.
October 12, 2018
Didn't care for this book. also way too much taking the Lord's name in vein. That is not needed at all to make a book good and brings the quality of the book way down in my personal opinion. W.E.B. Griffin is now on my list of authors to not read due to this.
May 28, 2021
The title spoke for itself. Introducing the enemy POV made things pretty interesting. Not to mention, it was neat to find out that General Fertig, the Guerrilla force leader was a real person. How impeccably representative of America he was.
May 11, 2022
After the surrender of U.S. forces in the Philippines, not all U.S. forces surrendered, some escaped to the jungles and continued to resist. This is the seventh novel in this fiction series that primarily takes place during the Second World War.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews